The Naming of a Loner
by QuartzSmokeyTygarWyldeTyler
Summary: What happens when an apprentice who wishes to become a warrior is a loner? Contains spoilers for Eclipse. If you squint and turn your head...
1. Chapter 1

**The naming of a Loner**

**I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS, ERIN HUNTER DOES! This fic contains spoilers for power of three. If you squint and turn your head.**

"Hey Ravenpaw"

Ravenpaw sighed. All the forest cats had left, aside from some elders, who had all faded away into obscurity or become kittypets. "What is it, Barley?"

"Well, I was thinking. You aren't technically a forest cat any more, are you?"

Ravenpaw thought for a moment. "Not really, but…"

"But nothing, Ravenpaw. You aren't going to become a warrior. We're loners. End of comment. But really, are you going to have an apprentice name all your life?"

Ravenpaw had never really thought about it. He had kept his name, it was the only name he had ever had, aside from what Tigerstar had called him when he was still Tigerclaw, "mousebrain", and "lousy-piece-of-foxdung", among other things. Of course there was "Ravenkit", the name he had before apprenticeship, but that fitted him worse than his current name.

"Ravenpaw?"

"Sorry, Barley. I was lost in thought for a moment"

"Well, even though Starclan have left the forest, and were never really watching over our barn anyway, there is going to be a solar eclipse today."

"Barley, I haven't lived around twolegs as long as you. What's a 'solar eclipse'?"

"Well, Ravenpaw, apparently the moon blocks out the sun for a short amount of time. They hardly ever happen. It kinda turns day into night,"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Barley sighed. "Because, Ravenpaw, I know how much rituals are important to you forest cats, so I thought that it would be the best time for you to change your name into something either more loner-like, or warrior-like. Give yourself a warrior name. Come on, Ravenpaw, you proved in the battle of Bloodclan that you were a proper warrior. You earned the name of a warrior."

When it was put like that, there really was no denying it.

* * *

Barley cleared his throat, and looked up at the sky. The moon was almost touching the sun. As the first silver of shade passed over, and day was turned into night, Barley spoke.

"Warrior spirits of Starclan, heed my words," the words flowed effortlessly, and Barley knew exactly what to say, "This cat, Ravenpaw, has kept his faith in you, through times of dark and light. I ask you, in this dark time, to reward his faith," _Ravenpaw decided on a loner name, he isn't really part of a clan_, "and give him a name proving how much he has learned. Ravenpaw, from this moment onward you will be known as Raven".

Maybe it was Starclan, perhaps it was pure chance, but despite the darkness given by the eclipse, Raven was almost glowing, as though he was in sunlight.

"Thankyou Barley."

_Maybe this is what being a clan leader feels like_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Also, I am ignoring the manga trilogy books.**

_Raven_. _Well_, thought Bluestar, _Barley is right. Ravenpaw, no, Raven isn't a clan cat anymore._ It saddened Bluestar to realise that the loner had really broken all his ties to the forest. Many cats in Starclan, Lionheart and Spottedleaf among them, had taken his new name and moved on, as they had to, when the eclipse ended.

"Bluestar"

"Yes, Spottedleaf?"

"Raven. Well, he did have the right, and Barley did a good job of the naming ceremony, but…"

"I know. It really saddens me to realise that the little cat we saw being terrified of his mentor was right all along, and left the clan to start his own life. It saddens me more to realise that he is better off as a loner."

"At least he acknowledged his warrior ancestors. How lucky was it that they picked the one time that we could see him, as well as the cats by the lake?"

"I didn't want to look at the battle around the lake."

"At least the eclipse came at the right time."

Bluestar paused, looking at Spottedleaf. "That Sol is trouble."

Spottedleaf nodded. "And the trouble is only just beginning. I hope Thunderclan can survive the turmoil."

Bluestar looked shocked, as though Spottedleaf had addressed her worst fears. "The three will save it."

Spottedleaf looked down on Raven and Barley, cats that, through their own choices, would be unaffected by the clans.

"Good luck, Raven".


End file.
